Sound The Chimes of My Abstract Body is the name of an exhibition created by Art Department resident artist Ana Woulfe. Ana Woulfe created a self-imposed nine-month artist residency in the library’s Art Department for herself in this way: 

** The Artist must visit the library at least once a week.

** The Artist must talk to as many people aspossible while in residence.

** The Artist must attend as many events and group meetings aspossible.

** The Artist must bring an empty jar, fill it up with tap water from the fountain and drink the whole thing before leaving.

** The Artist must learn as much as she can about the building and adjacent facilities.

** The Artist must work in public, open to critique and comment from whoever is passing by. 

[quoted from Fruiting Bodies nr 11, a new zine by Ana Woulfe that will join the library’s collection alongside others that are cataloged and available to read from the Art Department’s Philadelphia Comics Collection any time that we are open]

There is no formal artist residency program for the Art Department. Instead, we tell all artists that if they spend time making art in our shared free public library and using library materials for study and inspiration they are automatically resident artists here. Several artists have self-proclaimed themselves resident artists over the years and worked engagement with the library into their creative practice. Talk to your art librarians about what you are hoping to do and we'll find a way to collaborate as much as possible.

You can see a lot of the art she made during this period on display in the Art Department hallway gallery along with a series of drawings and related library materials celebrating trans history. More library books recommended by the artist can be found listed here. And in the Art & Literature room itself she installed a piece she calls the World’s Tallest Comic, painted with the assistance of Allison Durham, Jori Blouin, Emma Bezilla and Dashi.

Ana also invited local artist Fred Williams to show his artwork. Sarah Smothers sewed many of his drawings into big banners that are now hanging in the Art & Literature room as well. Many thanks to the library crew that installed these big pieces: Andre , Kenny, Matthew, GG, Carlos and Steve. You can see more drawings by Fred in the Literature hallway gallery. And be sure to pick up some of the flyers about the work that Ana put together.

Also at Ana's invitation, local composer Carrie DeCunzo to participate played original music on the libraries internal chime system and showed a new sound installation in the Art & Literature Department for the opening reception of the exhibition. Stay tuned for a video linked here documenting that installation and performance. 

Stop by on Friday, October 3rd for a closing reception with the artist.